How to Identify Authentic A2 Bilona Ghee?

You can identify authentic Bilona ghee by checking five things:

• The cow breed and source,
• The churning method,
• The ingredient label,
• The texture and aroma, and
• The brand's sourcing transparency and testing.

One important clarification before we begin: “A2” refers to the beta-casein protein type in milk, while ghee is primarily milk fat. Therefore, the term “A2” should be understood as describing the source milk/cows rather than suggesting that A2 beta-casein remains in the finished ghee. FSSAI has specifically clarified that A1/A2 claims on milk-fat products such as ghee are misleading and should not be used as a product claim.

The ghee market in India is flooded with products that claim to be "pure Bilona ghee" or "desi cow ghee." But many of them are made using industrial methods or shortcuts that have little to do with the traditional Bilona process.

We will present a clear, evidence-based checklist to help you distinguish genuine products from misleading claims.

The Authenticity Checklist at a Glance

Use this table as your quick reference before buying any ghee labelled as Bilona or sourced from indigenous cows.

If a brand uses the term A2 to describe its source milk, don't stop at the breed name. Ask whether the cows are actually documented as A2.

Authentic ghee made from indigenous Indian cow milk can be sourced from breeds such as Gir, Sahiwal, Tharparkar, and Red Sindhi.

The key difference lies in their genetics. According to a study published on PMC NCBI, allelic profiling of approximately 4,000 animals found that the A2 beta-casein allele was predominant in Indian cattle, with a reported frequency of approximately 0.95. The study also noted that heterozygous A1/A2 animals occur, highlighting why genetic screening can be useful.

This is an important distinction: a breed having a high prevalence of the A2 allele does not mean that every individual cow of that breed is necessarily A2. Breed is a useful indicator, but individual or herd-level genetic testing provides stronger evidence.

2. Verify the Bilona Method

Genuine traditional Bilona ghee starts with milk rather than directly separating cream for rapid industrial processing. The milk is first cultured into curd, the curd is churned to separate butter, and the resulting butter is slowly heated and clarified into ghee.

Most commercial ghee can be manufactured using different processes, including cream-based methods. Therefore, simply seeing the word “Bilona” on a label does not prove that the traditional process was actually followed.

The traditional Bilona method uses churning to separate butter from fermented curd. If a brand specifically claims to follow the traditional Bilona method, it should be able to explain and document the key stages: milk → curd → churning → butter → clarification.

What to ask: Does the brand describe curd formation and churning as part of their process? Look for words like "curd-churned," "hand-churned," or "traditional Bilona method."

3. Read the Ingredient Label Carefully

Pure ghee is a clarified milk-fat product. FSSAI's standards describe ghee as a product derived from milk or milk products through processes that result in almost total removal of water and milk solids-not-fat. The applicable standard specifies minimum milk fat and maximum moisture requirements.

The ingredient declaration and regulatory label should therefore be your first check. Don't rely on claims such as “100% pure” alone.

Any unnecessary additional ingredient or undeclared vegetable fat is a reason to investigate further.

Common adulteration concerns include:

• Palm oil or vegetable fat added to increase volume and reduce cost.
• Artificial flavouring used to imitate the aroma of ghee.
• Added colouring used to alter the appearance.
• Other undeclared substances that do not belong in genuine ghee.

Pure ghee does not need artificial flavouring or colouring to create its characteristic flavour and aroma. FSSAI's standard states that the raw material for ghee should be free from added flavour, colour or preservative.

What to check: Read the ingredient declaration and the complete product label. If you have concerns about purity, a laboratory report is much stronger evidence than visual inspection alone.

4. Check the Texture and Aroma - But Don't Treat Them as Proof

Real traditional Bilona ghee can have a naturally grainy or crystalline texture, known as danedar in Hindi.

This texture can develop because of the way milk fat crystallises during cooling and storage. However, the exact texture can vary with temperature, cooling conditions, storage and the composition of the fat. Therefore, graininess alone cannot prove that a ghee was made using the Bilona method.

The colour can range from pale yellow to deeper golden shades depending on factors such as the source milk and processing conditions.

The aroma should be characteristic of ghee, often rich and roasted. An unusual artificial or strongly chemical-like aroma may be a reason to investigate the product further, but aroma alone cannot establish authenticity.

What to do: Melt a small amount in your palm. Genuine ghee melts quickly at body temperature. Adulterated ghee often feels greasy or leaves a residue.

5. Demand Full Brand Transparency

A trustworthy brand should provide clear information on:

• The cow breed by name, not just "desi cow".
• Milk sourcing: where the milk comes from and whether it is sourced from the brand's own farm or partner farms.
• Feeding practices: whether the cows are grass-fed, pasture-raised, stall-fed, or given a combination of feeds.
• Production process: how the milk is converted into curd, butter and finally ghee.
• Batch information: manufacturing date, batch number and traceability.
• Third-party lab testing: where applicable, evidence of purity and compliance with relevant quality parameters.
• Farm or sourcing location: enough information to understand where the raw material comes from.

The strongest brands should be willing to show evidence rather than simply make claims. This can include original farm photographs, production videos, batch-level documentation, certificates of analysis and details of the laboratory used for testing.

If you are ready to buy A2 Bilona ghee, always check whether the brand publishes this information openly - on the label, on the website, or on request.

What to look for: Brands that provide specific sourcing and production information are easier to evaluate than brands that rely only on vague terms such as "farm-fresh," "traditional," or "100% pure" without supporting evidence.

What Laboratory Testing Can Tell You

If you genuinely want to assess ghee purity, laboratory testing is more reliable than home tests or visual inspection.

FSSAI's standards specify quality parameters for ghee, including minimum milk-fat content and maximum moisture. FSSAI's milk and milk-products testing manual also describes analytical methods for parameters such as free fatty acids and other characteristics used in assessing ghee quality.

Depending on the purpose of testing, a laboratory report may evaluate parameters such as:

• Milk-fat content
• Moisture
• Free fatty acids
• Fatty-acid composition
• Tests relevant to vegetable-fat or other adulteration
• Other applicable food-safety parameters

A useful rule for consumers: a laboratory report is evidence; colour, texture and aroma are observations.

Why the A1/A2 Question Needs Careful Explanation

A2 milk and A1 milk differ in the type of beta-casein protein they contain. A1 beta-casein can release the peptide beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7) during digestion, which is one reason A1/A2 milk has attracted scientific interest.

However, the evidence around A1 and A2 milk should not be overstated. A systematic review of human studies found moderate-certainty evidence for some digestive outcomes but low to very low certainty for most other health outcomes. The authors also noted that the evidence base is still developing.

Most importantly for this article, beta-casein is a milk protein, while ghee is primarily milk fat. During clarification, most milk solids-not-fat are removed. Therefore, the health findings from studies of A1/A2 milk should not automatically be transferred to the finished ghee. FSSAI has specifically stated that A1/A2 claims on milk-fat products such as ghee are misleading and not in conformity with the applicable provisions.

For this reason, we recommend viewing “A2” in the context of ghee as information about the source milk/cows rather than as a promise of A2 beta-casein-related health benefits from the finished ghee.

Bilona ghee is also a source of milk fat and naturally occurring fatty acids. However, individual nutritional composition can vary, and claims about preventing disease, treating digestive problems, or reducing inflammation should not be inferred simply from the Bilona or A2 terminology.

Choosing the Right Brand: Rawat's Farm

Authentic traditional Bilona ghee is available, but consumers should evaluate brands based on evidence rather than marketing terminology.

When evaluating any brand, return to the checklist: source and breed, Bilona process, ingredient declaration, sensory characteristics, testing, and sourcing transparency.

Rawat's Farm produces A2 Bilona ghee using milk sourced from indigenous desi cows and following the traditional hand-churned Bilona process.

We believe the best way to earn customer trust is to show how the product is made rather than simply describe it as “pure” or “traditional.” Where applicable, Rawat's Farm should provide customers with information about its sourcing, production process, batch details and laboratory testing.

There are no additives, no preservatives, and no shortcuts. Each batch is prepared using the traditional process described above, with the aim of producing a clean, authentic ghee product.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can I tell if Bilona ghee is genuine just by looking at it?

Genuine traditional Bilona ghee can have a naturally grainy, crystalline texture called danedar and a characteristic ghee aroma. However, appearance and aroma cannot prove that a product is authentic. Texture can vary naturally depending on temperature, storage and crystallisation. For reliable assessment of purity, laboratory testing is more useful.

2. Is all desi cow ghee the same as A2 Bilona ghee?

No. Desi cow ghee means ghee sourced from indigenous cow breeds, but it does not by itself confirm the preparation method or the A2A2 genotype of every animal.

If a brand uses A2 terminology for its source milk, stronger evidence would include documented A2 genetic testing of the source animals or herd. A2 and Bilona also describe different things: A2 relates to beta-casein genetics in the source milk, while Bilona describes the traditional processing method.

3. Why does authentic Bilona ghee cost more than regular ghee?

The traditional Bilona process requires fermenting milk into curd, churning the curd to extract butter, and then slowly clarifying the butter into ghee. These additional stages can require more labour, time and handling than industrial processes, although the exact cost and yield depend on the producer's method and scale.

4. Can I use a home test to check ghee purity?

Home tests can provide simple observations, but they cannot reliably establish ghee purity or prove that a product was made using the Bilona method.

If you are concerned about adulteration, look for a credible laboratory report or ask the brand how its product is tested.

5. Does the cow's diet affect the quality of ghee?

Yes, the cow's diet can influence the composition of milk fat and other components of milk. However, the exact nutritional profile depends on several factors, including breed, feed, stage of lactation and animal management.

Therefore, claims such as “grass-fed cows automatically produce healthier ghee” should be supported by specific evidence rather than treated as a universal rule.